Indiana Pacers: 3 storylines to watch in the second half
By Luke Parrish
Domantas Sabonis has to remain a star for the Indiana Pacers.
Sabonis was an All-Star replacement in a deep Eastern Conference and the divide among fans was real. Personally, I was fine with his original status as a snub given how talented the field was this season. However, I also agree that he was deserving of consideration and was an excellent choice to be the eventual replacement for Kevin Durant.
Domas is the focal point of Indiana’s offense and he has shown the capability of shouldering the load all season. But his stretch of play to end the first half was definitely a bit concerning, to say the least. He started missing shots that he just doesn’t miss very often and the Pacers went sputtering into the break.
The time off will give him some rest and a clean slate when the season picks back up but Sabonis has to return to his high level of play if the Pacers want any real shot to be a threat this season.
Several teams in the East are fighting for a playoff spot and the Pacers are right in the middle of the cluster. If Sabonis is anything less than stellar, the Pacers will be an afterthought.